Feeding device with regulable flow

ABSTRACT

A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, having a skirt connectable to a feeding bottle and a nipple extending therefrom. The nipple is provided with a substantially cylindrical wall portion having a varying thickness for effecting a regulable rate of flow therethrough in accordance with the positioning of the nipple with respect to the infant. The skirt portion is provided with marks indicating the appropriate positioning for a desired flow rate.

United States Patent [191 Seunevel FEEDING DEVICE WITH REGULABLE FLOW [75] Inventor: Thierry B. Seunevel, Paris, France [73] Assignee: Alpha Bebe Sante, Zone lndustrielle,

France 22 Filed: Dec. 4, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 421,721

[ Dec. 9, 1975 3,139,064 6/1964 Harle 128/252 X 3,650,271 3/1972 Pelli 128/252 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 394,941 12/1908 France 128/252 Primary Examiner-Ronald L. Frinks Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Craig & Antonelli [57] ABSTRACT A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, having a skirt connectable to a feeding bottle and a nipple extending therefrom. The nipple is provided with a substantially cylindrical wall portion having a varying thickness for effecting a regulable rate of flow therethrough in accordance with the positioning of the nipple with respect to the infant, The skirt portion is provided with marks indicating the appropriate positioning for a desired flow rate.

12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 FEEDING DEVICE WITH REGULABLE FLOW The present invention relates to feeding devices with regulable rate of flow and, more particularly but not exclusively, to such feeding devices for nursing infants.

It is a fact borne out by experience that vast differences are found in the manner of nursing between one baby and another, and also from one day to the next for the same baby. Certain babies, for example, are too greedy and choke by nursing too rapidly while others, by contrast, nurse so slowly that the preparation or formula is cold before the end of the feeding time. Furthermore, depending upon whether the formula is more or less fluid, variations are found in the speed of the nursing or feeding time.

In the present state of the known art, it is known only to choose once and for all occasions of use of a particular feeding device, a rate of flow by choosing the number and caliber or size of the perforations in the tip or nipple portion proper of the feeding device. This, however, produces the disadvantage that one replaces the natural phenomenon of the feeding by a free flow or discharge of the nourishment, and further produces the impossibility of regulating the rate of -flow of the feeding device according to need or opportunity.

The present invention therefore has as an object the elimination of this disadvantage of the prior art feeding devices.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a feeding device with a regulable flow rate. It has been observed that the speed of feeding is due largely to the force with which the nursing baby flattens the nipple portion of the feeding device and t the frequency of this movement. Opposing forces to this flattening, or elastic deformation, of the nipple portion during the feeding are the fluidity of the formula and the elasticity of the material utilized for the nipple portion, it being clearly understood that the skirt portion and the tip or nipple portion of the feeding device are made from the same material. Consequently, the present invention is concerned with and provides a feeding device wherein the resistance of the wall of the nipple portion to the elastic deformation thereof during feeding is regulable.

According to the present invention, the wall of the nipple portion of the feeding device has a thickness which is variable about the general axis of the nipple portion. Further, it is preferable, but not necessary, that this variation is denoted by an external reference symbol on the skirt of the feeding device so as to indicate the position of the feeding device in the mouth of the infant.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, it is sufficient to orient the nipple in the mouth of the nursing baby by a simple rotation thereof. This has the result that the rate of flow either increases or decreases according to whether a thinner or thicker wall portion is elastically deformed during the feeding.

According to a preferred, but not necessary feature, the wall of the nipple portion of the feeding device according to the present invention has the same thickness in two diametrically opposite points, and this thickness variation is obtained by modifying the radius of the inner surface of the wall, either progressively, or in one or several pairs of sectors.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and wherein FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the feeding device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates, at an enlarged scale, a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the broken line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view analogous to FIG. 2 and illustrates another embodiment of a feeding device according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view analogous to FIG. 1 and illustrates still another embodiment of a feeding device according to the present invention, and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII- VII of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. l-4 an embodiment of the feeding device wherein the feeding device has two planes of symmetry X-X and YY (FIG. 2) and includes a nipple l0 and a skirt 20. The nipple 10 is divided into four sectors with the sectors being disposed symmetrically in a manner such that two sectors with the thicker wall (11, 13) are opposite each other. Likewise, the sectors with the thinner walls (12, 14) are disposed opposite each other. The walls 11, 13 and 12, 14 may be considered to be formed of radii or diameters of different length with each sector being at from one another. The thickness of the wall whether thick or thin remains constant along the height of the nipple. At the end of the nipple, the thin and thick walls become progressively thicker and thinner, respectively, in order to perfectly match in view of the junction thereof and in a manner such that the surface of the end of the nipple is perfectly smooth and continuous as shown in FIG. 4. The wall of the skirt 20 of the feeding device is a constant thickness and essentially equal to the mean value of the thicknesses of the nipple 10. The skirt 20 carries reference marks positioned in the planes of symmetry. The two reference marks 21 23 indicate the position of the nipple in the mouth of the nursing baby so as to obtain the greatest feeding speed; whereas the reference marks 22, 24 indicate the position of the nipple designed for obtaining the slowest feeding speed.

By presenting the feeding bottle so that a reference mark 21 or 23 of the feeding device is positioned upwardly, i.e. under the nose of the baby, the elastic deformation of the nipple is made along the axis X-X. The thick walls 11 and 13 approach each other, and the thin walls 12 and 14 are deformed. Since the walls 12 and 14 are very thin, the walls offer only a small resistance to this defonnation, and the feeding is facilitated.

If, on the other hand, the feeding bottle is oriented in such a manner that a reference mark 22 or 24 is disposed upwardly, it is the thick walls 11 and 13 that are elastically deformed. These walls offer a greater resistance to deformation and the feeding rate is therefore slowed. It is thereby rendered possible to vary at will the speed of feeding by a simple rotation of the feeding device in the mouth of the nursing infant, or also to compensate, if suchis desired, for the differences in the fluidity of the formulas being fed.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the feeding device according to the present invention wherein the nipple is divided into six symmetrical sectors with respect to the vertical axis of the feeding device spaced approximately 60 apart. Two sectors (32,34) which are symmetrical with respect to the plane XX have a very thin wall, which may be considered to be formed by a radii or a diameter of a first length. The elastic deformation of the nipple along plane XX is, consequently, faciliated. A reference mark 41 is disposed on the skirt of the feeding device along the plane XX which is perpendicular to a plane passing through the centers of sectors 32, 34 and indicates that the feeding is proceeding at a high speed when it is placed upwardly, that is, under the nose of the baby. The secotrs 31 and 33 have walls of great thickness which may be considered to be formed by radii or a diameter of a length smaller than the first length. The skirt is provided in the plane of symmetry Y-Y with the reference mark 43 for slow feeding speed. An intermediate feeding speed is obtained when the nipple is elastically deformed along the plane ZZ with the walls 35,36 being stressed then having thickness intermediate that of the walls 31,33 and 32,34 and formed of a radii or a diameter of intermediate length. The skirt bears a reference mark 42 for the intermediate feeding speed. Although a single reference mark is shown for each feeding speed, preferably two marks oppositely disposed on the skirt are provided for each speed.

Another embodiment of the feeding device according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown, the thickness of the wall of the nipple varies progressively and in a continuous fashion form a minimum thickness along the plane Y-Y to a maximum thickness along the plane XX. This result is obtained by providing or equipping the nipple with an exterior face 51 having a circular cross section and an interior face 52 having an elliptical cross section. The feeding speed thus varies in a continuous fashion according to the angular rotative position of the nipple in the mouth of the nursing infant. As shown in FIG. 6, a reference mark 61 in the form of a continuous undulating line provided on the skirt of the feeding device provides an indication of orientation of feeding device for regulating the feeding speed. The undulating line has two high portions opposite the small axis of the ellipse and two low portions opposite the large axis of the ellipse.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It should therefore be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, and wherein the different thickness portions of the cylindrical wall portion is defined by diameters of different lengths, said cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having the same thickness at the two ends of each of the diameters of said cylindrical wall portion, adjacent diameters of the same length extending over a sector of said cylindrical wall portion delimiting an angle of at least 45.

2. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having an end portion and a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to a longitudinal axis, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness in the form of at least two facing stepped portions of substantially constant thickness about the longitudinal axis, each of the facing stepped portions extending over a sector delimiting an angle of at least 45.

3. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion being defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein a first one of said radii is greater in length than a second one of said radii and wherein at least said second radius delimits approximately a sector of said cylindrical wall portion.

4. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion being defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein a first one of said radii is greater in length than a second one of said radii and wherein at least said second radius delimits approximately a 60 sector of said cylindrical wall portion.

5. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to a longitudinal axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant,

wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, and

wherein marking means are provided on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including an undulating line having at least one high portion indicating one of maximum and minimum flow positions and at least one low portion indicating the other of maximum and minimum flow positions.

6. A feeding device according to claim 5, wherein said line has two high portions and two low portions.

7. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant,

wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis,

wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and

wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by two pair of radii, one of the pairs having a greater length than the other, each pair of radii delimiting two diametrically opposite sectors of said cylindrical wall portion and each sector delimiting an angle of approximately 90.

8. A feeding device according to claim 7, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including two symbols indicating a slow feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of greater length and two symbols indicating a fast feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of smaller length.

9. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant,

wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis,

wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by radii of varying length ex- 6 tending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and

wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by three pair of radii having a different length such that one pair is of greater length, another pair of smaller length, and another pair of a length intermediate the greater and smaller length, each pair of radii delimiting two diametrically opposite sectors of said cylindrical wall portion and each sector delimiting an angle of approximately 10. A feeding device according to claim 9, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including two symbols indicating a slow feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpindicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of greater length, two symbols indicating a fast feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of smaller length, and two symbols indicating an intermediate feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of intermediate length.

l l. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant,

wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis,

wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and

wherein the radii of varying length are continuously varied such that the inner surface of the cylindrical wall portionhas a substantially elliptical cross section.

12. A feeding device according to claim 11, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including an undulating line having two high portions positioned opposite the small axis of the elliptical cross section and two low portions positioned opposite the large axis of the elliptical cross section. 

1. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, and wherein the different thickness portions of the cylindrical wall portion is defined by diameters of different lengths, said cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having the same thickness at the two ends of each of the diameters of said cylindrical wall portion, adjacent diameters of the same length extending over a sector of said cylindrical wall portion delimiting an angle of at least 45*.
 2. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending fron the skirt, said nipple having an end portion and a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to a longitudinal axis, said nipple including means for rEgulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness in the form of at least two facing stepped portions of substantially constant thickness about the longitudinal axis, each of the facing stepped portions extending over a sector delimiting an angle of at least 45*.
 3. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion being defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein a first one of said radii is greater in length than a second one of said radii and wherein at least said second radius delimits approximately a 90* sector of said cylindrical wall portion.
 4. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, said regulating means including the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having varying thickness about the axis, whereby varying resistances to compression of the nipple can be achieved by rotation thereof, the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion being defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein a first one of said radii is greater in length than a second one of said radii and wherein at least said second radius delimits approximately a 60* sector of said cylindrical wall portion.
 5. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to a longitudinal axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, and wherein marking means are provided on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including an undulating line having at least one high portion indicating one of maximum and minimum flow positions and at least one low portion indicating the other of maximum and minimum flow positions.
 6. A feeding device according to claim 5, wherein said line has two high portions and two low portions.
 7. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical walL portion is defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by two pair of radii, one of the pairs having a greater length than the other, each pair of radii delimiting two diametrically opposite sectors of said cylindrical wall portion and each sector delimiting an angle of approximately 90*.
 8. A feeding device according to claim 7, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including two symbols indicating a slow feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of greater length and two symbols indicating a fast feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of smaller length.
 9. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by three pair of radii having a different length such that one pair is of greater length, another pair of smaller length, and another pair of a length intermediate the greater and smaller length, each pair of radii delimiting two diametrically opposite sectors of said cylindrical wall portion and each sector delimiting an angle of approximately 60*.
 10. A feeding device according to claim 9, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including two symbols indicating a slow feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpindicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of greater length, two symbols indicating a fast feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of smaller length, and two symbols indicating an intermediate feeding speed positioned diametrically opposite along a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the centers of the two sectors of the pair of radii of intermediate length.
 11. A feeding device, particularly for nursing infants, comprising a skirt for connection with a feeding bottle and a nipple extending from the skirt, said nipple having a substantially cylindrical wall portion with respect to an axis and an end portion, said nipple including means for regulating flow therethrough in response to changes in relative rotative position thereof with respect to the infant, wherein said regulating means includes the cylindrical wall portion of the nipple having a varying thickness about the axis, wherein the thickness variation of said cylindrical wall portion is defined by radii of varying length extending between the axis and an inner surface of said cylindrical wall portion, and wherein the radii of varying length are continuously varied such that the inner surface of the cylindrical wall portion has a substantially elliptical cross section.
 12. A feeding device according to claim 11, including marking means on the skirt for indicating the position of the nipple in the mouth of the infant, said marking means including an undulating line having two high portions positioned opposite the small axis of the elliptical cross section and two low portions positioned opposite the large axis of the elliptical cross section. 